Ontario’s Fiscal Outlook brings together business leaders and policymakers to examine the province’s 2026 budget priorities and the economic landscape ahead. With ongoing global uncertainty and shifting sector demands, these conversations help provide clarity on where Ontario is headed and how businesses can prepare.
We are pleased to welcome the Honourable Caroline Mulroney, President of the Treasury Board and Minister of Francophone Affairs, for the keynote address and fireside chat. Her remarks will offer important insight into the province’s fiscal direction and key areas of focus across major industries.
Thank you to our attendees, sponsors, and partners for taking part in this morning’s program and contributing to a meaningful discussion on Ontario’s economic future.
AboutBramptonBoardofTrade
Brampton’sLargestBusinessAssociation
The Brampton Board of Trade is where businesses of all shapes, sizes and sectors convene, collaborate and create solutions to boost regional economic prosperity.
Brampton business leaders are focused on running their businesses cost-effectively and successfully, while handling a myriad of challenges such as technology, competitiveness, job creation and government legislation. The Board of Trade helps members make the right connections and provides solutions to the toughest problems shaping change and advocating for Brampton. Members of the Board of Trade also have access to countless tools to help grow their business, increase productivity, and control their bottom line.
In order for our city to realize its full potential and to capitalize on the tremendous opportunities ahead, businesses and all levels of government need to be aligned Brampton’s moment is now
ECONMOMICOUTLOOKPRESENTATION
9:10AM
CynthiaLeach AssistantChiefEconomist
Cynthia Leach is the Assistant Chief Economist, Thought Leadership at RBC, where she helps guide the research agenda and shape the narratives behind RBC’s structural economic and policy analysis. Her work focuses on major long-term issues affecting Canada’s economy, including human capital, innovation, trade, productivity, immigration, housing, and public policy. She joined RBC Economics in 2020 and has become a regular voice in RBC’s economic commentary and thought leadership.
Before joining RBC, Leach held senior roles with the Government of Canada at the Department of Finance. Most notably, she led a team responsible for housing finance policy, giving her deep experience in one of Canada’s most important and complex economic policy areas This background allows her to bring both a public-policy lens and an economist’s perspective to RBC’s analysis of issues such as housing affordability, fiscal policy, labour markets, and Canada’s long-term growth challenges
Leach holds a Master of Arts in Economics from the University of Toronto Through her role at RBC, she contributes to reports, public commentary, podcasts, and event discussions that help businesses, policymakers, and Canadians better understand the economic forces shaping the country’s future Her work is especially focused on translating complex economic trends into practical insights that can support stronger decision-making across government, business, and society
MINISTERREMARKS
9:45AM
Caroline Mulroney is a Canadian lawyer, businesswoman, and politician who currently serves as Ontario’s Minister of Francophone Affairs and President of the Treasury Board. She is the Member of Provincial Parliament for York Simcoe, a role she has held since first being elected in 2018. Her current responsibilities place her at the centre of two important areas of Ontario government: supporting the province’s Francophone communities and overseeing key aspects of government spending, accountability, and fiscal management.
Before entering provincial politics, Mulroney built a career in law, business, and public service. She studied at Harvard University and later earned a law degree from New York University. She worked in financial services and law, and she also co-founded the Shoebox Project, a charitable organization that supports women experiencing homelessness or hardship. She is also widely known as the daughter of former Canadian prime minister Brian Mulroney, though she has built her own public profile through her work in Ontario politics
Since joining Premier Doug Ford’s cabinet, Mulroney has held several senior roles, including Attorney General of Ontario, Minister of Transportation, Minister of Francophone Affairs, and President of the Treasury Board As Minister of Francophone Affairs, she has been involved in supporting French-language services and strengthening Ontario’s Francophone community. As Treasury Board President, she plays a major role in the province’s financial oversight process, including expenditure estimates and government spending approvals
9:55AM
CynthiaLeach AssistantChiefEconomist
Cynthia Leach is Assistant Chief Economist at RBC, focused on long-term economic and policy research, including housing, productivity, and trade She previously worked at the Department of Finance Canada on housing policy She holds a Master’s in Economics from the University of Toronto
Caroline Mulroney is a Canadian lawyer, businesswoman, and politician who currently serves as Ontario’s Minister of Francophone Affairs and President of the Treasury Board She is the Member of Provincial Parliament for York Simcoe, a role she has held since first being elected in 2018 Her current responsibilities place her at the centre of two important areas of Ontario government: supporting the province’s Francophone communities and overseeing key aspects of government spending, accountability, and fiscal management.
